Center Dash Restoration

[QuixoticZ]

Right now I'm trying to finish the interior of my Z. However, the center heater control panel has unsightly paint flakes and obvoius wear. I need to remove it to either replace it, or paint it. I removed the four screws on the corners and the map light, but it still won't come out. It feels like there are some steel lines going back from the vent controls. What do I need to do to get the panel out?

[mdbrandy]

There are 4 steel cables running from the heater control levers to the various vent flaps and heater valves. You have to get under the dash and disconnect them at the flaps/valves on both the left and right side of the heater box. On the left side are a couple flap connections, and on the right is (I think) one flap connection and one valve connection. If I remember, the valve connection needed an offset screwdriver to turn the clamp screw to release that cable. Each cable connection has a clamp holding the vinyl sleeve, and then a screw/clamp connecting the wire to the flap or valve lever. You have to disconnect both on each cable. Then the heater control panel will be able to be moved out of the dash, although there are several other electrical connections that will need to be removed as well.

Good luck. I can probably come up with some pictures if you need them.

[mdbrandy]

Here's a pic of one of the cable connections on the left side of the heater box. Note the cable clamp and then the connection of the wire at the valve.

[Victor Laury]

Yet another photo we need to keep in our reference section. Good one Mark!

[mdbrandy]

So far I've got about 600 pics, and some day I'll have a chance to go through them and upload to the gallery. Right now, I'm limited to grabbing the ones that are useful at the time. They are all high res 4 Megapixel images, so I have to downsize each one to upload it . Not hard one at a time, but a lot of work for 600 and counting :classic: .

[mdbrandy]

I snapped one other pic tonight while taking my dash pad off the frame. This is the back of the heater control panel, where you can see the four control wires connected to the switch assembly on the heater control panel.

[QuixoticZ]

Thanks a ton Mbrandy. I agree with Victor though, we need your reference pictures. If the admin used a different picture uploader, it could automatically resize your 4 megapix pictures. Food for thought.

[carguyinok]

One thing I do with cables, wires, and vac lines. Get some masking tape and a marker. Now as I pull I make a tab and mark it with a letter. Same letter bolth ends. Now when I make it back that way I am not going :stupid: It makes life easy in the long run.

[EScanlon]

In the picture showing the location of the left hand cables, you'll see another pair of cables. Those are for the choke levers on the carburators.

Take special note of the LOCATION of those cables as being OVER and INSIDE the heater cable.

This may seem obvious, but there is very little tolerance for bent or curved choke cables and if you're not careful you'll snap your choke lever handle.

2¢

Enrique

[mdbrandy]

Originally posted by EScanlon

Take special note of the LOCATION of those cables as being OVER and INSIDE the heater cable.

This may seem obvious, but there is very little tolerance for bent or curved choke cables and if you're not careful you'll snap your choke lever handle.

I'd say NOTHING is necessarily obvious - even with the picture, I might have not thought about it and routed it wrong. Especially since it will be a year or more before I put it back together! Tips like this can save hard-to-find parts!

Thanks!